LIFE IN WASHINGTON 235 



his manuscript, he was politely informed of its receipt 

 and that it would be carefully "filed with the archives 

 of the Institution." This was usually sufficient for the 

 vanity of the inventor. But later on some one, irritated 

 at the non-appearance in print of his lucubrations, would 

 write an angry letter inquiring the reasons therefor, and 

 would be politely informed that all the valuable archives 

 of the Institution had perished in the flames. The 

 Professor once declared that the relief of mind thus 

 afforded was almost worth the cost of the fire. Fortu- 

 nately the fire-proof floors of the upper story kept the 

 flames from the ground floor and basement, and the 

 invaluable library and collections, though somewhat 

 injured by smoke, water or hasty removal, were for the 

 most part saved. 



During the period of the war, in his intercourse with 

 committees of Congress on matters affecting the Institu- 

 tion, Professor Baird won a reputation for simple straight- 

 forwardness and scientific worth which gave him great 

 influence with the best men at the Capitol, and made 

 him many powerful friends. 



This enabled him, when those gloomy days were over, 

 to facilitate research in connection with Governmental 

 surveys and other expeditions. In this way a vast deal 

 was accomplished for Science and the way toward the 

 establishment of a National Museum was measurably 

 cleared. 



In reference to his early work at the Smithsonian 

 Miss Lucy notes: 



"On his appointment as Assistant Secretary he brought 

 his collections to Washington and turned them in toward 

 the formation of the Museum which was the dream of his 

 youth and the achievement of his later years. An impor- 



